Flash-light device.



No. 637,800. Patented Nov. 28,l |899. C. W. KING.

FLASH LIGHT DEVICE.

(Application led Dec. 2S, 1898,r

LNo Model.)

Wit esses:

lgveptorz,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES W. KING, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

FLAusH-LTGHT DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,800, dated November 28, 1899.

Application iiled December 28, 1898. Serial No. '700,555l (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. KING, a citi zen of the United States, residing at the city of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flash-Light Devices, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for producing Hash-lights for photographic purposes.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, efticient, and compact device capable of use by a photographer or an amateur and conveniently carried with the small or folding cameras now in such common use, so that a {lash-light may be conveniently utilized by the amateur photographer almost anywhere. The specific objects of the structure will delinitely appear in the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in this speciiication.

The invention is definitely pointed out and.

indicated in the claims.

The structure is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the structure reduced in size. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan View of the structure appearing in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional elevation with the main parts of the structure taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation view of a modification of the structure.

In the drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several Views.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A represents the trough which is adapted to hold the powder for the Hash-light, commonly known as dash-light powder. This trough is shaped like a diminutive brick-hod. The trough may be of .any convenient size, large or small, to accommodate the amount of powder desired to be consumed in a single iiash. In place of the large heavy handle on a brick-bod is a handle B', with an elongated metal shank B at the upper end to protect it from the heat of the flash-light powder. The handle is retained in place by a long woodscrew F, projecting through a hole in the bottoin of the trough. The head of the screw projects up to serve as an anvil on which to eX- plode the head of a match or other percussion material.

In the corner of the hopper A is a perforation G, of suihcient size for the introduction of a stem of a match I. On the transverse end A' of the hopper or trough is secured a spring C by means of a suitable clip C', a spring D being placed inside to serve as a support for the thin sheet metal of which the trough or hopper is made. A trigger is provided consisting, preferably, of a piece of wire which is pivoted to the shank B and projects back of the end A of the trough or hopper,as clearly appears in Figs. l and 6. This trigger is adapted to swing up and engage the spring C and yet is easily drawn down to al low the spring to snap. The spring C is supported in such a manner that it can be swung to one side, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. This permits the easy and safe insertion of a match or piece of a match, as I, appearing in Fig. 5. When this is inserted and the powder is placed above the same, (no powder being shown, however, in the drawings, the spring C is drawn back and engaged by the catch of the trigger E. The operator then takes the apparatus in his hand by the handle B and with his thumb or finger draws down the trigger E. The spring C snaps against the end of the match and drives it against the head of the screw F, which serves as an anvil, and the concussion causes the same to ignite, tiring the powder very thoroughly and securing a prompt and eiiicient flash-light.

It will be observed that the article can be manufactured at a very light expense, that it must necessarily be very efficient, and at the same time the operator is perfectly pro tected from any injury in using the same. Where it is desired to produce a light of consderable duration, the trough A is lengthened by telescopic sections A, which are adapted to slip onto the main part A of the trough and lengthen the same indefinitely,

IOO

southat the same can be conveniently extended anumber of inches or several feet, for that spring' to any 4point desired.

matter, securing the most satisfactory re` sults. l I desire to .state in this lconnection -that the structure can be greatly modified withoutdeparting from my invention. ,In Fig. 6 I show a m'odiiication of the trigger in which `a piece K is pivoted by pivot J to a lug J and a hook K' connected to the same.

Suitable notches are provided to set the It will be observed from this that a long handle can easily be provided for the hopper andA the hook K' extended to `,enable the operator to hold the hash-light to any height vdesired and inV any position, and yet ignite it the same as before. It is needless to remark that another projection than lthe head of the screw F might y be provided as an anvil for exploding the l iwhichtwould be a mere equivalent.'

match, and, for that matter, any percussion device, such as a paper cap, might be used inY that position, and a pin, like the stem of the match4 I, be provided for firing the same,

' I have shown the telescopic' sections constructed in themost simple manner, which is preferred by me; but I am aware that these sectionsmight be made in other Ways and be equally eicient so far as su pportin g the powderfor the flash-light is concerned, though the particular form I have adopted possesses -meritV on account of its` simplicity.

Having thus described my invention, what '2` v l Y" 637,800Y

I claim as new, and desire to secure bypLetters Patent, is- 1 l. In a flash-light device, the combination of the trough A with` a transverse end A perforated at G; a handle secured to the under side of the same by a screw F, the head of which projects within the trough to form an anvil; a trigger pivoted to the said handle and projecting beyond the closed end of the trough; a spring C retained by a clasp C' to the end of the trough; and adapted to engage said trigger so it can be released to strike the stem of a match rprojecting through the aperture G to explode the match on the head ofthe screw F which forms an anvil, all coacting substantially as describedfor the purpose specified. l

' 2. In a iiash-light device, the combination of a trough with a suitable handle projecting from beneath the'same; a perforation in said trough; a spring; a trigger to engage the spring and permit it on .its release to strike a match projecting through the perforation in vthe trough; and a .projectionin the trough to form an. anvil to explode the match, for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand andseal in the presenceof two witnesses.

CHARLES W. KING. IL. 8.]

Witnesses: l

LELA M. BROWN,

,OTIs A. EARL. 

